Warning

Statement from Assistant Chief Constable Adrian Roberts

ByPublished June 20, 2017

We stand together with our communities following the news of another horrific terrorist incident, which appears to be a deliberate attack on innocent people as they walked home from Finsbury Park Mosque after prayers.

We offer our condolences to all those who have been affected by the attack. There will be people across Cleveland who are concerned about the events this morning. Our officers will be providing visible reassurance patrols and we will be engaging with our communities to provide information and support.

Like the terrorist incidents in London and Manchester, this incident seeks to erode our shared values of tolerance and mutual respect. By supporting each other and standing together, we can ensure that hate does not divide us.

We continue to urge the public to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the police by calling 0800 789 321 in confidence, or 999 in an emergency.

We are continuing to monitor any reported incidents of hate crime in Cleveland, and would urge anyone who is a victim of hate crime to come forward. We will thoroughly investigate the incident and do all we can to bring the perpetrator to justice. We will also provide victims with bespoke support.

We do not tolerate hate crime in any form.

Anyone who wishes to report a hate crime can call us on the non-emergency number 101, 999 in an emergency situation, or through third party reporting such as True Vision or Tell Mama.

In the highly unlikely event any member of the public finds themselves in the midst of an incident, remember to ‘Run, Hide and Tell’.